Footnotes / Blog

Athlete’s foot is a skin infection caused by a fungus. It can be spread to others by a bathtub, shower, clothing or towels. Symptoms include itch, burning, painful cracking, redness, scaly and peeling skin and blisters. If left untreated, it can spread to toenails or even the groin area. Foot fungus can be treated with […]

Skin cancer can develop anywhere on the body, including in the lower extremities. Skin cancers of the feet have several features in common. Most are painless, and often there is a history of recurrent cracking, bleeding, or ulceration. Frequently, individuals discover their skin cancer after unrelated ailments near the affected site. The podiatrist will determine […]

Warts that appear on the feet are called plantar warts. Plantar warts are noncancerous skin growths on the soles of your feet caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which enters your body through tiny cuts, breaks or other vulnerable sites on the skin of your feet. Plantar warts are usually found on the soles of […]

Hammer toes are little toes that buckle or curl under. Toe joints curl because of a muscle imbalance or tight tendons. This bending causes the toe to appear like an upside-down V when looked at from the side. Hammer toes are more common in females than males These toes, over time, may hurt and make […]

The plantar fascia is a ligament like band that runs from your heel to the ball of the foot. The band pulls on the heel, raising the arch of the foot as it pushes off the ground. If the foot does not move correctly the plantar fascia may become strained, causing tiny fibers to fray […]

A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), is a medical specialist who diagnoses and treats conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and structures of the leg Podiatrists are the most qualified doctors to care for your feet. They complete four years of training in a podiatric medical school and three years of hospital residency training. This training […]

A Neuroma is a painful growth of nerve tissue in the foot that forms when bones in the feet press together and irritate a nerve. Repeated stress on the foot or wearing ill fitted shoes is usually the cause. As the nerve irritation gets worse a person may feel a sharp, burning pain in the […]

Proper care of your feet and ankles is the first step in injury prevention. Stretching daily will help keep your muscles, tendons and ligaments from tightening up during your activity. A good way to prevent stress fractures is to gradually increase activity to desired level. Custom orthotics can be placed in your running shoes, cleats […]

Endoscopic Plantar Fasciotomy or EPF is a surgery used to treat chronic strain of the plantar fascia. Plantar Fascia is a ligament-like band that runs along the bottom of the foot resulting in pain on the inside of the foot where the arch and heel meet if strained. If medication and devices to control foot […]

Anyone who has diabetes can develop a foot ulcer. A diabetic foot ulcer is an open sore or wound that usually occurs on the bottom of the foot. Lack of feeling in the foot, poor circulation, irritation and trauma and duration of diabetes are a variety of factors that cause foot ulcers to form. Neuropathy, […]